I have been reading books my whole life and blogging for about a year and a half now, and I have a confession to make…
Up until this week, I had never been to an author book signing! I live in Tallahassee for school and there are just no book signings there (that I know of). There are a good amount in South Florida but I am only down there for school breaks and summers. I’m planning on going to BEA next year and maybe mid winter ALA this year so I will get to meet lots of authors there hopefully but I’ve always wanted to go to a signing for a specific author and/or book.
Well a few days ago I finally got my chance! Richelle Mead came down to Fort Lauderdale, which is about 45 minutes away from my parents house in South Florida but only about 2 minutes away from the law firm that I am working at this summer! How perfect is that?? I went over right after work and waited about 2 hours for the signing to start and I have to tell you, I was a bundle of excited energy.
I love Richelle Mead, I read her Vampire Academy series before I started blogging, but I have never reviewed them (*see bottom for more on this) I have not yet read her Bloodlines series, so I bought hardcover copies of both books 1 and 2 to have her sign.
It was so much fun! Richelle is hilarious and super sweet. She read a scene from the Golden Lily and then opened up the floor for questions (about anything!). She was very open and engaging and I really just had a great time meeting her.
Because I had never been to an author signing before I wasn’t sure what proper signing procedure was. (Should you limit it to one book? Should you buy all the books at the venue or can you bring your own?) Just to be safe I bought both of the books at the bookstore and only had her sign those two, but lots of people brough their own copies and had huge stacks of books.
Richelle was so gracious and she signed anything and everything people handed her! She also took pictures and answered questions from EVERYONE in line.
I was super nervous to meet her. (I can get up in front of judges, attorneys and dozens of other law students to deliver opening statements, cross examinations and closing arguments confidently, but put me in front of an author I love and I become a shy fangirl. Go Figure!)
I told her it was my first signing and she said that she hoped it delievered (it totally did!) and then she asked where I was from and whatnot. I didn’t want to leave. I wanted to just stay and talk to her but it was late and there was still a whole line of people behind me.
Thank you so much Richelle, for making my first book signing event so memorable. And for being so awesome!
*You know how I said earlier that I had not reviewed any of Richelle’s books yet? Well I was thinking, I could re-read the Vampire Academy series and read the Bloodlines books and the Succubus series and make a month long Richelle Mead review event! What do you think? Let me know in the comments 🙂
and now for a giveaway. I have some really cool signed swag to send to one person, including a bloodlines tattoo, signed bookplate, and awesome signed vampire academy timeline poster! (I really wanted to keep this, but I decided not to be selfish and to share the love. I’m hitting myself in the head for not asking nicely for two of them)
Sorry I couldn’t figure out how to get the picture to turn around :/ picture…fail.
Rules:
-US only
-must be 13+
-contest policy applies
-fill out rafflecopter
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Arianne Cruz
I missed Richelle Mead! She came close to my area (2 hours close lol) but I had to miss it coz my companion was too tired to wait 3 hours for her… =/ I was so bummed.
Anyways, IF I win (and I hope rafflecopter picks me), I’ll trade you my unsigned poster 🙂 lol or just keep the signed poster.. haha.. crossing my fingers, I want those other swags 😀
Dana
I would love to go to a Richelle event I love the Vampire Academy I wish I was more like Rose! I actually made mu brother read the series and he lived it too! Lol
Jessica B.
OH!That review idea is a good one. I loved all those books, too, so it would be fun!
My first book signing wasn’t that long ago–the beginning of May. Maggie Stiefvater, Siobhan Vivian, and Elizabeth Eulberg were there, but I only got books from Siobhan and Elizabeth (even though I wanted The Scorpio Races SO BAD). It was loads of fun. Since then, I’ve been to two book signings. One was yesterday, actually. I have my recap up today, hehe.
I haven’t read the bloodlines series yet. It hasn’t been in at the library and I can’t buy it, so I wait. As far as what you can bring to a book signing, you can bring your own copies as long as you buy books from the bookstore, too. It’s always good to support the bookstore–then more authors can come and sign stuff!
I’m glad you had loads of fun! Have a wonderful day!
♥Jessica(:
Xia
I love all of Richelle Mead’s books! I haven’t gone to any of her author signings, but would love to one day.
Sayomay
I love the Vampire Academy series! My first book signing was with Ms Mead in Austin Texas! Her event was so fun! XD
evrythngzen
My first book signing if I think back was actually Bruce Campbell. LOL
fourheadjen
I really love the first three books in the Vampire Academy series! Hmm… my first author signing has to be with four authors- Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, Jodi Meadows, and Courtney Allison Moulton! 😀 That was a really fun experience 🙂
alicia marie
i think my first book signing (actually first 3) were with nicholas sparks. one of my besties and i had an obsession with him in highschool and he was really the only author that ever came here sadly.
Beatriz Guadron
You’re so lucky you got to meet her! I wanted to go to her signing in Santa Monica, CA soo badly but was unable to. 🙁 I love her Vampire Academy series but have yet to read Bloodlines. My first author signing was Melissa de la Cruz at the LA Times Festival of Books back in April. I was a total fangirl too, when I met her 😉
Bella
You are so lucky that you got to meet her! I loved the Vampire Academy series and I’m loving her spinoff with Sydney. I haven’t been to an author signing either, but when its a favorite author, it must be so exciting!
Thanks for sharing!
Jessica S.
Congrats on your first book signing! I’ve never been to a book signing myself, but I really need to find a way to get to one of them sometime. Not many authors come to the book stores I go to. I think your idea for the month long event sounds great. 🙂
kimbacaffeinate
Wow..what an awesome experience…I am happy for you! I love your month long event idea. I need to read this series myself!
States of Decay
That’s really awesome that you got to go to a Richelle Mead signing!! She’s not touring around my area this year… hopefully next year. I can’t remember who was my first author event… I think it was Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner). Next month I’m going to see Erin Morgenstern, so I’m super excited about that.
Thank you for the awesome giveaway!
Emily @ Falling For YA
My sister went to the signing up in Seattle for me and you have got to read Bloodlines, I may love it more then vampire academy…
I love your idea of a month of Richelle reviews have you thought about making it open to other bloggers to join in? I would love to reread and review her books and I have the whole succubus series on my ereader but haven’t gotten to it yet!
Çråz¥ K¥ (Alisia)
Thats soo cool!!! Love her!! My first book signing was with Lauren Kate!
I love the idea of your month long Richelle Mead reviews! I also agree that you should open it and have links to ppl so other bloggers can join in! I only own the first two of the vampire academy series but would love a reason to reread all her books!!
Rachel at thejeepdiva
I have never been to a book signing but I really want to!!! I love Richelle Meade’s VA series. I just bought Bloodlines but haven’t read it yet and then I need The Golden Lily. I live in NW Missouri and we just do not get many author events or book signings here. They closed our only bookstore close to me. If they would come near me I would definately go though.
Christina K.
I love Richelle Mead! I love the Vampire Academy series, but Bloodlines is even better! The characters and the romance rocks:)
books4friends
Richelle Mead is awesome! I am the first time on your blog and I’m loving it! Me too I have a blog about books, but it’s in to another language. 🙂
Lisa Richards/alterlisa
– Vampire Academy
Emily
I love Richelle’s Vampire Academy series. I keep meaning to start the spin-off, but I have so many other books on my list! I’ve actually met Richelle three times. She’s so sweet and her signings have always been a lot of fun! The first signing I went to was Cassandra Clare and Lisa McMann’s book signing. Cassie had just released City of Glass and Fade, book two in Lisa’s Dream Catcher series had been released a few months earlier. It was very exciting! I remember being super nervous. I love going to signings!
Thanks for the giveaway! 🙂
Gaby
I went to a Richelle Mead sighing when Last Sacrifice came out it was really cool because she was my first one 🙂
Ronyka7
I’ll love to go to a signing but authors never came to my city so is sad.
Michelle
I live in Toledo, Ohio, and our library has an event where authors come to town, give a speech, and sign books at the end. It’s called Authors, Authors. They have a table where you can buy books from the featured writer. If the author is really popular, sometimes there are hundreds of attendees! I know that because there’s usually an article in the paper afterwards. I’ve been to two of them.
At the first one I attended I had Elizabeth Peters sign my book (I only brought her latest one with me). I think she said that she would sign up to two per person. I believe that was in 1997. The other one I went to was Carol Higgins Clark and I brought more than one book for her to sign. I think that was around 2001, give or take a year. Those are mystery writers. There weren’t 500 or 600 people attending but there were quite a few people there.
I have won some books that were autographed because they were sent to me directly from the author.
Were there tons of people at the Richelle Mead signing?
Vidisha
I love her Vampire Academy series
Froze8
Who was your first author signing with?
Rodmin Philbrick who came to my school, it was the best day of my life.
Do you think a Richelle Mead event would be fun?
Yes yes yes!
A random fact about yourself 🙂
I am a personal assistant to a few authors and I just started book blogging over at http://froze8.blogspot.com/ yay 🙂
-K8
missymyt
I would love to go to a Richelle Mead event! I loved Vampire Academy!
Alicia0605
My first book signing was with the Warden so you can imagine it was not anything like I expected but we had a great time. I’ve been lucky enough to see JR Ward and Jessica Andersen several times now. This weekend I’m going to see Jeanine Frost!!!!!